Best Qualities

If you, the groom, are just like most of us regular folk, public speaking is not something you look forward to. In fact, you probably make an effort to avoid public gatherings. Unfortunately, this is one of those occasions from which you can’t hide.

The good news is, putting together your groom speech need not be as challenging as it might seem at first. That is, as long as you are not tempted to bolster your nerves with too much punch. Be certain you do not drink too much alcohol until you are back safely in your seat, having delivered your speech.

Keep the following main point in mind:

Your groom speech focuses on thanking those who have helped you and your new bride get to this point in your lives. You will generally speak after the bride’s father.

Here are six points to help you get started:

1. Express Thanks to the bride’s mother and father for raising such a beautiful daughter and entrusting her to your care. Also, thank them for any help they have provided for the wedding and for your new life together.

2. Thank your own mother and father for taking care of you and being there for you throughout your life and for any contribution they have made to the wedding and helping you to get started in married life.

It is not a good idea to make fun of either your bride’s parents or your parents during a wedding speech unless you clear it with them before hand. Even the most easy going people may not take kindly to being the brunt of a joke on this occasion.

3. Of course, you cannot proceed any further in your speech without thanking your bride. Thank her for being the beautiful person she is, and point out some of her best qualities. Tell her how much you appreciate her trust in you and her love for you; that you consider yourself a very lucky man. Once again, be sweet and don’t make fun of your bride to get a laugh. You haven’t got to the honeymoon yet.

4. Next it’s time to say something about your best man. Generally, it should be safe to make some jokes about him. So, save your need for laughs until you get to him. Quite often the groom’s speech includes some humorous anecdotes about the best man and or groomsmen, and this can go down very well.

5. The maid of honor, bride’s maids, and flower girls are next on the list to be thanked. Mention how lovely they look and how much easier they made the day for your new wife.

6. After you have thanked all these people for contributing to your wedding and to your life, you can mention anyone else who is important to you or your bride: Siblings, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and friends can be mentioned at this time. You may also include any personal messages you would like to give.